Takeaway vows to fight claims it has the most violent reputation in Preston

A licensing sub-committee in the city yesterday adjourned a hearing into the Bianco Middle Eastern eatery in Friargate until February 6 because the company's legal representative was unable to attend.

But today Mike Thorpe, who will be acting as agent for the restaurant at the Town Hall hearing, told the Post: "My clients deny a lot of what is being alleged. There are always two sides to every story and some of these claims are absolutely untrue."

Police have asked the council to review the late night premises licence which allows Bianco to sell food between 11pm and 5am. A report to be presented to the sub-committee will claim a catalogue of incidents at the takeaway since it was granted a licence in September 2021.

In all police say there were up to a dozen events where officers were called to the city centre premises, most of them involving allegations of assault. Finally, on January 5 this year, Lancashire Constabulary successfully applied to magistrates for a closure order between the hours of 11pm and 5am, which was granted for two months.

Nine of the visits were to claims that either drivers, staff or members of the public had been assaulted in the takeaway. Five were classed as common assault, two were actual bodily harm, one was affray and one was on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. One delivery driver alleged he had been threatened with being killed after "negative" feedback from a customer.

At one point it was claimed there was a fight between Bianco staff and workers in a neighbouring takeaway which spilled out onto the street, leaving one man with a visible head injury. A member of the public alleged he had been assaulted by a member of staff and had his bike smashed up. On another occasion it was claimed a delivery driver had attacked staff and tried to smash up the shop.

In August last year a director of Bianco was told that if there were any further issues they could result in the premises licence being reviewed by the council and he could be arrested. Then a team from North West Immigration visited the takeaway and found two of the three people working there had no permission to work in the UK. One of the men alleged he had been working for just £10 for a 12-hour shift.

In October a High Court Enforcement Officer complained he has been locked inside the premises by staff who were holding knives. He had felt threatened and the staff had taken his body worn camera and mobile phone off him.

In November a member of the public complained of being in an argument with staff over a food order and alleged the staff had kicked, spat at and sprayed them with an unknown substance. And just before Christmas police were again called, this time to a report of a man being hit over the head with a "machete." When they arrived they found he had a large cut on his head, with CCTV showing the man had actually been hit with a broom.

In the police report an officer says the takeaway had been “associated with significant and persistent disorder.” He adds: "There are numerous takeaway eateries in Friargate that are similar to Bianco, however only nine of them hold a premises licence to allow late night refreshment. Between November 1, 2021 and December 22, 2022, there have been one assault and two public order reports at these other similar premises, whilst Bianco has seen numerous reports.

"Preston city centre has a total of 28 licensed premises similar to Bianco and only one other premises has a similar level of reports for assaults and public order. This particular premises (Bianco) is however somewhere that is repeatedly targeted by individuals. In all cases no other like premises see reports alleging assaults by staff like Bianco does.

"There is clear disorder at the premises, which appears to be escalating. The premises licence holder and staff at Bianco have proven over the last 12 months that they are unwilling to work with the authorities and have also come to the attention of Lancashire Constabulary for repeatedly reported acts of violence towards members of the public which has seen numerous criminal investigations conducted.

"Bianco is a source of criminal activity within Preston and is clearly having a negative impact on the licensing objectives of crime and disorder."

The takeaway's agent Mike Thorpe added that the owners denied a lot of what was being alleged and would be challenging many of the allegations at the new hearing in February.

"The takeaway is open 24 hours a day and we are just talking about a six hour period for the premises licence from 11pm to 5am. We are looking forward to the licensing hearing as an opportunity to explain the circumstances behind these allegations and put our side of the story. To be honest some of these are ridiculous in the way they have been described by police."

One of the takeaway’s directors, Mohamed Ebrahim, told the Post: “I am still going through the reports. Some of the incidents were nothing to do with Bianco at all. I would like people to hear our side before jumping to conclusions.”